IT took all of eleven minutes for the new manager bubble to burst as the home side opened the scoring and the Cardiff City fans duly launched into ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ to welcome West Ham’s Scott Parker into the dugout. To be fair, a cracking strike from Jack Moylan gave Hermansen no chance and as is now customary, the Hammers found themselves playing catch up.
Parker’s West Ham had set up with a back four holding a surprisingly high line, plus Magassa and Engels playing in front of the defenders but the pair were still bisected by the excellent pass that put Moylan through for his goal.
New manager, same misery as three went in before half time – again
Magassa and Kilman went into the book early on, the young Frenchman in particular looking short of match pace. Taty looked isolated – as we’d feared – and the Hammers looked a little short of ideas the half hour mark, hardly venturing into their opponent’s 18 yard box.
The warning signs were there as the awful Morato was beaten a couple of times as the Bluebirds attacked down the left: The stand in left back duly gave away a penalty, again out of position and clambering all over the back of his winger. Two-nil with Hermansen again beaten from a spot kick.
A third came from a corner, headed in at the near post by Moylan – a hat trick in the first half – and Scott Parker might have been questioning his rush to assume control ahead of the international break: Three nil before half time, three goals conceded for a third week in a row and the Hammers booed off by their own fans again.
Piroe warming up with Kanté and Mayers showed three changes at half time as Magassa, Morato and Taty departed.
Mukasa’s lobbed goal after being put through by Bowen put the Irons back in the game, with still half an hour to go and at least giving the travelling supporters something to cheer. Bowen, playing more centrally, started to pull the strings and Piroe went close. Suddenly, from nothing, a Bowen through pass was flicked on by Piroe and Engles, through on goal slotted home like a veteran striker. 3-2: And thousands of Hammers armchair fans were thinking maybe, just maybe.
This was, at least, a fighting response to a half time dressing down and a well deserved barracking from the away fans.
Kanté almost levelled down one end, Hermansen inexplicably flew out and clattered Kilman down the other – almost giving away a fourth in the process- and suddenly, you couldn’t take your eyes off it.
And then – three – three and the roof came off thanks to Max Kilman’s goal from Bowen’s brilliant cross.
Absolutely chaotic scenes in the away end as the incredulous claret and blue army couldn’t believe they’d witnessed a fightback from a team dead and buried at half time.
It could have been four as Trott stretched his fingers to Soucek’s header – agonisingly close as the minutes ticked by. Brilliant second half efforts by Piroe, by Bowen – the man of the match – and excellent impact from Ezra Mayers who might just have found himself a role in Parker’s side.
A game of two halves? I’d say so:
Nuno’s team in the first half, Parker’s in the second.